1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shoe having a portion that can be quickly and easily replaced.
2. Description of Related Art
The variety of activities and sports pursued has increased steadily in recent years. This increase has been sparked at least in part by advances in equipment technology which has allowed more people to enjoy a particular activity. Almost all sporting activities require the person to move themselves by walking or running. As such, the single most important piece of equipment is often the footwear worn by the user during the particular activity.
Athletic shoes, such as those designed for tennis, running, basketball, hiking, cross-training, walking and other activities, typically include a sole or sole assembly on a bottom portion of the shoe, which is fixedly secured by gluing or other similar attachment process to a soft and pliable upper portion of the shoe. The sole assembly usually includes a rubber outsole that contacts the ground surface and a cushioning midsole or midsole assembly above the outsole.
Athletic activities can be performed on various types of surfaces, such as asphalt, grass, dirt, and rocky surfaces, which are abrasive. Such surfaces can cause extensive wear or damage to the shoe. However, certain areas of the sole, for example in the toe, can wear or become damaged faster than other parts.
In the toe portion, excessive contact in this area with a ground surface can create a more worn-out or damaged area as compared to the rest of the sole. This uneven worn-out area can cause poor performance and/or discomfort to the wearer and possibly even injury. Thus, the uneven wear can affect at least the comfort, performance, appearance, and/or safety of the shoe.
Replacement of shoes having uneven wear is often an undesirable solution. Often, the other parts of the shoe have little or no wear, and thus, replacement of the entire shoe is wasteful. Further, sometimes the localized wear or damage occurs very rapidly, possibly during the first use or after only a small number of uses. Replacement of the entire shoe after such low usage is unsatisfactory to the user. Further, repair of the worn shoe is also not a desirable or satisfactory solution.